Manifolding register



Oct.29, 1940- c. w. DAWSON ET AL uzmn'onnme nmrs'ma Oct. 29,1940. c.- w.DAwsoN ET'AL IANIFOLDING REGISTER Filed July 26, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2d- 9, 1940- c. w. DAWSON El m. 2,219,299

' IANIFOLDING REGISTER I I l-filad July 26, 19257 3 Slants-Sheet 3 J52,"Hum". n, vnunmm... W JE' JIIIIIIIIIHIIL 715 IN NTOR Fi .5 o

to p i Patented Get. 29, 1940 uurrso STATES PATENT OFFICE W. Metzner,Dayton, Ohio, assignors Stand vRegister Com aeration of Ohio ApplicationJuly 26,

1% i Tu in) n This invention pertains to strip feeding mechanism forautographlc registers, imprinting devices, and the like, and moreparticularly to motive means for automatically ejecting at the will ofthe operator measured lengths of record strips or succeeding forms ofcontinuous series connected form stationery.

Autographic registers of both counter and portable styles, wherein oneor more record copies of sales slips, forms, or short length portionsare ejected by either frictional feed rollers or pin wheel feedingmembers engageable in marginally punched holes in the reco'rd strips andactuated by a manually operated rotary crank, have been quite common inthe art.

Modern commercial practice necessitates more rapid operation withminimum efiortof the operator. It is highly desirable that the time lostin "grinding out inscribed portions of the rec- 0rd strips .be saved,and that the result be accomplished by a single operative movement of acontrol or tripping device.

Electric motive power while quite successfully applied to counter typeregisters, is not practical for operation of portable registers, notonly because its field ofoperation is necessarily restricted to cablelength from a suitable source of electric current supply, but becauseincorporation of an electric motor renders such registers too heavy tobe conveniently carried from place to place and held in the hand whilein use.

By the present invention a relatively light weight, quick acting motivemeans is applied ss-to the strip feeding device and tripped by theoperator at the completion of the record inscribing operation,causing-the record strip or strips to be automatically and instantlyadvanced a measured distance of one form length to thereby elect theinscribed portion thereof out of the register and present the succeedingportion or set of forms in writing position.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well asthe means and mode of operation of automatic strip feeding means,

which may not only-be economically manufactured, but will be moreefiicientin use, uniform in operation, automatic in action, havingrela-;

tively few parts and unlikely to get out of re- A further and importantobject of the inven-. tion is to provide automatic ejector means forsutographic registers andthe like which will add minimum additionalweight to the register. A further object of the invention is to protoThe Dayton, Ohio, a

1937, SerialNo. 155,716

vide motive means which may be employed where electrical 'power is notavailable, and which will permit a register to be readily transportedfrom place to place without restriction.

A further object of the invention is to provide motive ejector meanswhich will instantly and with great rapidity discharge an accuratelymeasured length of record strip material from the register.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved tripping meansfor initiating the feeding impulse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding meanshaving the advantageous structural features and meritoriuscharacteristics herein disclosed.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide a stripdispensing apparatus wherein sufilcient motivating power rls storedprior to the feeding operation to energize the strip feeding mechanismand subsequently expended at the completion of the storing operation toadvance the strip in a single cycle of operation.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will morefully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and themode of operation, or their equivalents as hereinafter described and setforth in the claims. Y

In the drawings wherein are shown the preferred, but obviously notnecessarily the only forms of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a portable auto- 35 graphic register to which thepresent invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof with the lid or cover raisedexposing a part of the present strip ejecting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts broken away todisclose operating parts of the ejector mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the ejector mechanism duringactuation, the parts being in relative relation assumed immediatelyafter initiation of the feeding movement.

a Fig. 5 is a. similar view showing the parts at the completion of thefeeding operation.

Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view with portions of the housing brokenaway.

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 illustrate modifications.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

While the present invention is equally ap- 55 plicable to frictional orother forms of feed devices for manifolding registers, imprinting andrecording devices and the like, for illustrative purposes, but with nointent to unduly limit the application or scope of the invention, it isherein illustrated and described in association with a pin type feedingunit havingprogressive engagement in registering marginally punchedholes in the superposed record'strips to be fed. In the accompanyingdrawings there is illustrated a popular form of portable autographicregister including a box like housing i, having therein a compartment 2,to contain a supply packet 2 of superposed zig-zag folded strips 4,-which are withdrawn from the supply compartment 2 and thence about aguide roller 5 into writing position 'upon a writing tablet 6 overlyingthe supply compartment. The housing is provided with a swinging lid orcover I, having therein an opening 2 registering with-the writing tablet4, through which the withdrawn portions of the strips may be inscribed.The cover whenraised'afiords access to the supply compartment 2, asshown in Fig. 2.

At the forward end of the housing is a pin type feeding unit comprisingtwo relatively spaced interconnected pin wheels 8,- disposed inapproximately tangential relation with the plane of the writing tablet 6and journaied in bearings in'a wall in of the compartment 2 spacedinwardly relative-to the sides of the housing I. The pin wheels 9 areprogressively engageable in marginally punched holes in the strips toadvance the strips from the supply compartment over the writing tabletand past the inscription receiving position. The pin wheels 0 are soproportioned that one complete rotation thereof will advance the stripsa full measured form length, and they then come to rest with thesucceeding set of forms in writing position.

Ordinarily the pin wheels 9 are actuated by a rotary hand cranknecessitating one or more turns to complete the feeding of a full formlength. In the present construction, the usual hand crank is replaced bya spring actuated automatic feeding mechanism.

Located within the space H intermediate the compartment wall in and theside of the housing i, and journaled on a stud projecting from the wallin is a gear wheel l2, meshing with an idler pinion l3, which in turnmeshes with a driven gear l4 upon the pin wheel shaft it. The hub of thedriving gear I2 is formed with a succession of ratchet teeth l1. Mountedconcentrically with the driving gear I2 is an independent oscillatory55. disc iii, to the inner .side of which isjpivoted a connected to aspring actuated pawl I! having engagement with successive ratchetteethI! in the hub of.the gear. Also connected with the disc I2 is aretractile actuating spring 20, the opposite end of which is stud 2|projecting from the opposite end of the wall l0.

A hand lever 22 is connected in oifset relation with the disc l8 foroscillation in a plane outside the housingi. The pin wheels 4 arearrested in their advanced position by engagement of a detent lever 23with a stop shoulder 24 of a disc 25 secured to the extremity of the pinwheel shaft i6 and rotating therewith. Before the pin wheels may berotated it is necessary to withdraw the detent from locking relationwith the disc 25. Projecting from the inner side of the operating discI8 is a stud 26 which in the final position of retractive movement ofthe disc it engages. with the arm of the detent 22 to oscillate thedetent 7 out of engaging relation with the shoulder 24.

To operate the strip feeding thelever 22 is manually retracted from theFig. 5 position to one slightly beyond that shown in Fig. 4. The leverbeing coupled to the disc I! oscillates the disc against the tension ofthe retractile spring 24 and carries with it the spring actuated pawl I2 until the latter engages the next succeeding ratchet tooth I! of thegear hub. As the disc approaches the limit of its retractive movement,the stud 24 engages the extremity of the arm of detent 22 and oscillatesthe latter out of engagement with the stop shoulder 24 as is shown inFig. 4. This engagement occurs suiliciently in advance of the limit ofthe range of retractive movement of the disc that on return motion thegeartrain will be initially actuated sufiiciently before the stud 24disengages the detent arm to carry the stop shoulder 24 past the detenthead 23 as shownin Fig. 4.

At the rear limit of retractive movement of the operating lever 22, andwith it the disc ii, the operator releases the lever' and the tensionedspring 20 quickly and forcibly propels the disc and lever forwardly,transmitting through the pawl is and ratchet tooth ll a rapid partialrotation to the driving gear i2 which is in turn transmitted through thegear train comprising gears l2, l2 and M to the pin wheel shaft ll. Thisrotates the pin wheels 8, which being engaged in the marginal holes ofthe record strips, imparts to the strips a quick forward motion until afull form length is ejected by completion of one complete rotation ofthe pin wheels 9. The stop disc 25 on the end of the pin wheel shaftbeing cam shaped permits the detent 22 to return to en ag ng relation inthe path of the stop shoulder 24 and eng e therewith at the end of onecomplete rotation of the pin wheels.

Thus, it is merely necessary to manually pull the lever 22 backwardthrough a partial rotation and release it, whereupon a measured lengthof the strips is instantly and automatically ejected.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a modification, wherein the parts and theiroperation is the same except the operating lever is not fixedly coupledto the disc I! but is concentrically pivoted for independent relativeoscillation. Carried by the lever 22 is a spring pressed pawl 21,engageable in a notch 22 in the edge of the disc l2. The pawl 21 isprovided with a trip arm which as the disc and lever approach the limitof their retractive movement against the tension of the spring 22,engages with a fixed stud or pin 28 projecting from the wall ii. Theengagement of the pawl arm 21 with the stud 29 oscillates the pawl outof engagement with the disc, which being thus released is returned bythe spring 20 independently of the lever to transmit motion to the pinwheels as before described. ,When released by the operator, the lever isautomatically returned preparatory to-the next operation by a relativelylight spring 20.

The degree of oscillatory motion of the operatis from the solid lineposition to the dotted line position of Fig. 8, wholly within the spacell interiorly of the housing. A vertically moving plunger 3| pivoted tothe end of the lever and 5 projecting above the top of the registerwhereit carries a button 32 provides means for manual operation of the lever.By a mere downward thrust motion upon the plunger the lever and disc areretracted and the spring tensioned, and

19 then automatically released as the arm of the pawl 21 engages thestud 29 at the limit of the setting operation.

In Fig. 9 the disc I8 is shown provided with a gear wheel 33 aihxed.thereto, with which meshes a reciprocatory rack bar 3i, having a stem 35extending above-the top of the register and carrying a push button 36.The depression of the button 38 transmits rotary motion to the disc totension the spring and upon release of the button,

the disc is actuated by the spring in reverse direction to drive thestrip feeding means as before described. Such reciprocatory operatingrack bar 34 may be disposed either vertically or horizontally with thesame effect.

From the above description itwill be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which obviouslyis susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detailconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its ad-' vantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the

85 invention has been described in language more or less specific as tostructural features, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific features shown. but that the means andconstruction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of severalmodes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore clai ed in any of its forms or modifications within thedegitimateand valid scope of the appended claims. r

I 45 Having thus described our invention, we claim:

' m1 relation with the writing tablet and having progressive feedingengagement in the marginally punched holes of the strip to advance thestrip over the writing tablet, and wherein a detent member limits therotation of the pin wheelsto a degree of movement only sufficient toeject from 60 the register a predetermined measured form length,characterized by' driving and driven gears, the latter being connectedwith the pin wheel feeding members, a ratchet hub upon the driving gear,an oscillatory actuator mounted concentrically therewith, a pawl on theactuator 1 engageable with succeeding .ratchet teeth of the gear hub, animpeller spring for the actuator tensioned by the oscillation thereofnecessary to effect engagement of the pawl with a succeeding tooth ofthe ratchet hub of the gear, a manually operated member for retractingthe actuator. and means upon the actuator for disengaging the de tent asthe actuator approaches the limit of its retractive movement against thetension of the.

75 impeller pring, said parts being so constructed and arranged thatupon release of the actuator at the limit of its retractive movement,its return motion under influence of the impeller spring is transmittedto-the pin wheel members to actuate the latter until arrested by thedetent and thereby eject a measured length of the record material.

2. A strip feeding apparatus wherein a strip of continuous seriesconnected marginally punched forms are intermittently advanced from asource of supply past a writing position by intermittently rotative pinwheel feeding devices progressively engageable in marginally punchedholes in a strip to be fed, characterized by an oscillatory actuatortherefor, an impeller spring for urging the actuator in a direction todrive said pin wheels, driving means intermediate the actuator and pinwheels including a pawl and ratchet mechanism by which the actuator ispermitted idle-retractive movement against the resistance of the springwhich is tensioned thereby, detent means normally preventing actuationof the pin wheel feeding devices by the actuator, manual means forretracting the actuator and rendering the detent means ineffective, theactuator being releasable at the limit of its retractive movement forreturn operative driving movement of the pin wheels under influence ofthe spring.

. 3. A stripfeeding apparatus wherein a strip of continuous seriesconnected marginally punched forms are intermittently advanced from asource of supply past a writing position by intermittently operabletraveling pin type feeding means having progressive. engagement inlongitudinally spaced holes in astrip to be fed-for advancing the stripthrough succeeding step-by-step' movements, an actuator mounted for toand fro motion, characterized by motive means for urging the actuator inone direction, an intermediate. driving connection between the actuatorand the pin type feeding means enabling idle retractive movement of theactuator preparatory to return motion in operative driving relation withthe pin type feeding means, detent means preventing actuation of the pintype feeding means by the actuator, manual means for retracting theactuator and detent means, the actuator being releasable at the limit ofits retractive movement forreturn operative movement under influence ofthe motive means.

'4. A strip feeding apparatus for advancing a continuous strip of recordmaterial intermittently from a-supply compartment over a writing tabletand successively presenting prescribed portions thereof in writingposition on the writin tablet by progressive engagement of a travelinpin type feeding device in longitudinally spaced holes in the strip,characterized by driving means for the pin type feeding device, animpeller spring for the driving means, manual means for tensioning theimpeller spring independently of the traveling pin type feeding device,and means for automatically releasing the tensioned 'impeller spring bycontinued operation of the manual spring tensioning means at the limitof thetensioning operation, the construction and arrangement being suchthat upon release the tensioned impeller spring will drive the pin typean impeller spring for the driving means, manual means for tensioningthe impeller spring independently of the strip engaging means, and

means for automatically releasing the tensioned impeller spring bycontinued operation of. the manual spring tensioning means at the limitof the tensioning operation, the construction and arrangement being suchthat the tensioned impeller spring when released will drive the stripcontinuous strip of material through successive step-by-step movements,driving means therefor, an impeller spring for the driving means, manualmeans for tensioning the impeller spring independently of the stripengaging means, stop means for arresting the operation of the stripengaging means when a predetermined length of strip has been advanced,and means for automatically releasing the strip engaging means by theoperation of the manual spring tensioning means, the construction andarrangement being such that the tensioned impeller spring when releasedwill drive the strip engaging means to advance the strip through apredetermined range of travel.

7. In a strip feeding apparatus, intermittently actuated stripengagingdevices operative to advance'a strip of material throughsuccessive stepby-step movements, means for arresting the strip engagingdevices at the limit of a predetermined strip feeding movement, anactuator therefor vmounted for to and fro motion, an impeller 40approaches the limit of its retractive movement for releasing the stripengaging devicesfor operative action, means for operative connecting theactuator with the strip engaging devices for driving operation thereof,during its return movement said actuator being releasable when retractedfor return movement under influence of the spring.

8. A strip feeding means wherein a continuous strip of record materialis intermittently advanced through successive measured distances intoand past a writing position, characterized by spring actuated operatingmeans for the strip feeding means, an impeller spring therefor, manualmeans for tensioning the impeller spring, detent means normallypreventing actuation of the strip feeding means by the spring actuatedoperating means, said detent means being rendered ineflective at the endof the tensioning movement of the manual means, and means forautomatically limiting the degree of feeding movement of the stripfeeding means controlled by the movement of the manual spring tensiomeans.

9. A strip feeding means wherein a continuous strip of record materialis intermittently advanced through successive measured distances intoand past a writing position, characterized by spring actuated operatingmeans for the strip feeding means, an impellerspring therefor, man ualmeans for tensioning the impeller spring, including an oscillatory crankarm releasably enageable with the spring actuated operating means,coupling means therefor automatically disengaged at the limit of thetensioning movement, detent means normally restraining the feeding meansagainst actuation by the spring actuated operating means, and means forreleasing the detent means at the limit of tensioning movement of themanual means to enable the strip feeding means to be actuated byreaction of the impeller spring.

10, A strip feeding means wherein a continuous strip of record materialis intermittently advanced through successive measured distances intoand past a writing position, characterized by spring actuated operatingmeans for the strip feeding means, an impeller spring therefor, manualmeans for tensioning the impeller spring, in-' cluding an oscillatorycrank arm'coupled with the spring actuated operating means to bereleased at the limit of the spring tensioning movement, detent meansnormally restraining the feeding means against actuation by the springactuated operating means, and means for releasing the detent means atthe limit of tensioning movement of the manual means to thereby enablethe strip feeding means to be actuated by the reaction of the impellerspring.

CHARLES w. DAWSON. JAMES F. SMITH. ALBERT w. METZNER.

